Open Letter from the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon to Ecuador and the World

October 1, 2009

Open Letter from theConfederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazonto Ecuador and the WorldPuyo, EcuadorUnión BaseSeptember 30, 2009

The Governing Council of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon CONFENIAE, denounces and holds responsible the government of Rafael Correa Delgado before the national and international human rights organizations in witness of the grave violation of fundamental human rights of Indigenous Peoples and nationalities particularly the Shuar Nation of Morona Santiago.

This afternoon at 4:30 PM at the main bridge of the Upano River linking the provinces of Morona Santiago and Pastaza, law enforcement officers backed by a helicopter from the air brutally attacked demostrators with firearms, which resulted in two dead and 9 wounded, members of the Shuar nation, who are maintaining a peaceful resistance for life and protection of nature PACHAMAMA.

Today, the dictator President Correa declared a civil war against the original nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon, and therefore we demand that the OAS and the UN intervene with urgency before the government of Ecuador, to monitor and observe the blatant violation of the Indigenous Peoples' rights in accordance with all Treaties and conventions signed by our country such as ILO Convention 169 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Faced with this critical national reality in which we live today, we the marginalized and excluded Peoples of the country, Indigenous Nationalities of the Amazon, now declare a State of Emergency throughout our ancestral territories, without lifting the actions of indigenous uprising.

Likewise, we urgently request the establishment of a high level commission of national and international effect, comprising the representatives of governments friendly to America, such as: Bolivia,Venezuela, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and member countries of UNASUR, CAN, International Human Rights organizations, the Coordinator Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin "COICA" in order to search for mediation between the government of Ecuador and the Original Nationalities and Peoples of Ecuador.

Finally we call for solidarity from all social sectors in the country, addressing the atrocities that are happening in the Ecuadorian Amazon, violating respect for the true Pluri-nationality of the State.

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Amazon Watch is a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin. We partner with indigenous and environmental organizations in campaigns for human rights, corporate accountability and the preservation of the Amazon's ecological systems.